# Why are custom rolled smokes so sought after and expensive?



## olotti (Jan 20, 2006)

Why are these smokes by the big named rollers, Taboada, La Cina etc., so sought after and expensive? What is the mystic with these smokes? Do the rollers work independantly from the factories? Where do they get there tobacco from if the blends are different? I understand they are one offs but isn't a robusto a robusto regardless of the roll?


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## Lumpold (Apr 28, 2005)

they also use a custom blend of leaves.... donated by their factory, but they, as far as I know, don't get a standard mixture... I think they have a say in what kind of mixture they would like... and the limited quantity just pushes the prices up. I'd bet Joe sold his granma for all those tabbies...


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## azherfer (Feb 13, 2006)

I picked up a 5er of Taboada Robusto Supremes. Haven't tried one yet, letting them rest. Why did I buy, choice leaf, master roller, mystique. To me, it's a honor to own a cigar rolled by one of the best. No different to me than coveting a Monet over a starving artist painting.


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## cf2112 (Feb 27, 2005)

Guys these custom rolled smokes by Taboda, Hamlet, La China , ect. are over rated but me being a great BOTL I'll take them off your hands just pm me for my snailer:w


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## LasciviousXXX (Oct 12, 2004)

olotti said:


> Why are these smokes by the big named rollers, Taboada, La Cina etc., so sought after and expensive?


Read these reviews and you'll know why..........

http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13748&highlight=Morales+Taboada

Some of the best I've had


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## MoTheMan (May 24, 2003)

olotti said:


> Why are these smokes by the big named rollers, Taboada, La Cina etc., so sought after and expensive? What is the mystic with these smokes? Do the rollers work independantly from the factories? Where do they get there tobacco from if the blends are different? I understand they are one offs but isn't a robusto a robusto regardless of the roll?


Supply & demand.
Sticks made by a master craftsman but in limited production, either due to only so much time the roller can spend on a stick or due to limited amount of tobacco leaf available.

Just remember that every cigar brand out there has unique leaf blends associated with it.

Now if I can ever get my arse over to Havana, I know of a couple of places where I can pick up sticks of original blends from the 50's/60's/70's (H. Upmann, Montecristo, R&J). Mmm!


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## PaulMac (Jul 15, 2003)

olotti said:


> but isn't a robusto a robusto regardless of the roll?


so every robusto you ever had has tasted the same? maybe I'm missing something but that seems to be what yer saying
I not even gonna say compare a rass to a cremosa robusto but if you think a rass and a coro taste the same???


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## olotti (Jan 20, 2006)

PaulMac said:


> so every robusto you ever had has tasted the same? maybe I'm missing something but that seems to be what yer saying
> I not even gonna say compare a rass to a cremosa robusto but if you think a rass and a coro taste the same???


What I was trying to say was that isn't it more of a product of the tobacco than of who rolls it. If you have a good robusto regardless of the brand isn't it the blend and not who rolled it that makes it good. I don't know now I'm starting to confuse myself.


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## PaulMac (Jul 15, 2003)

olotti said:


> What I was trying to say was that isn't it more of a product of the tobacco than of who rolls it. If you have a good robusto regardless of the brand isn't it the blend and not who rolled it that makes it good. I don't know now I'm starting to confuse myself.


LOL, well the custom rolled cigars are all custom blends....hope that helps
in my limited experience, custom rollers tend to lean towards old school pre 94 blends with more ligero....and I have heard their eyes light up and twinkle if you say mucho ligero or mas ligero when they rolling for you lol


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## olotti (Jan 20, 2006)

PaulMac said:


> LOL, well the custom rolled cigars are all custom blends....hope that helps
> in my limited experience, custom rollers tend to lean towards old school pre 94 blends with more ligero....and I have heard their eyes light up and twinkle if you say mucho ligero or mas ligero when they rolling for you lol


Thanks. I would love to ask for a mucho ligero smoke from the hands of a master, now that would be a fun smoke. :w


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## PaulMac (Jul 15, 2003)

olotti said:


> Thanks. I would love to ask for a mucho ligero smoke from the hands of a master, now that would be a fun smoke. :w


you say this now....when yer dumb enough to smoke it on an empty stomach and end up seeing your stomach we'll talk lol


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## OpusEx (Oct 31, 2003)

olotti said:


> What I was trying to say was that isn't it more of a product of the tobacco than of who rolls it. If you have a good robusto regardless of the brand isn't it the blend and not who rolled it that makes it good. I don't know now I'm starting to confuse myself.


Ask yourself this question: Would I rather have a robusto using the same blend rolled by a master roller, who will roll the cigar in the best possible way, allowing the cigar and thus the blend used to be smoked and consequently enjoyed the way it was intended to be when it was originally "invented" or would I like to take my chances with any roller on the factory floor?

In addition, the masters when rolling custom cigars do as I understand it have a say as to what blend they are going to roll and the quality of the tobacco they get to roll, so it is of the highest quality.


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## MoTheMan (May 24, 2003)

OpusEx said:


> Ask yourself this question: Would I rather have a robusto using the same blend rolled by a master roller, who will roll the cigar in the best possible way, allowing the cigar and thus the blend used to be smoked and consequently enjoyed the way it was intended to be when it was originally "invented" or would I like to take my chances with any roller on the factory floor?


Spoken like a true connoisseur!!

The key is tio make sure it's a blend that YOU like . . . and most master rolllers are sought out because of their unique blends.


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## RJT (Feb 12, 2005)

Anyone know were to get custom rolled smokes? PM me. RJT


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## PaulMac (Jul 15, 2003)

RJT said:


> Anyone know were to get custom rolled smokes? PM me. RJT


Smittys basement lol


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## sirxlaughs (Nov 18, 2005)

RJT said:


> Anyone know were to get custom rolled smokes? PM me. RJT


:tpd: 
I wouldn't mind getting my hands on a few. One of these days, I guess.:w


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## ATLHARP (May 3, 2005)

olotti said:


> I understand they are one offs but isn't a robusto a robusto regardless of the roll?


The quick answer to that is NO! Cigars are blended differently for taste, smoothness, and alot of the time burn. Custom smokes are sought after because they are percieved to be of better quality than standard cigars. The real question is, are they worth the fuss? The answer to that question is "I don't know". It is up to whoever likes the cigars enough to pay the price to get them.

Enjoy,

ATL


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

Where to buy custom rolleds and can I have some are easily the two most frequent pms I get! At least one a week :r


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## RPB67 (Mar 26, 2005)

PaulMac said:


> Smittys basement lol


Back away from the Habanos !


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## LasciviousXXX (Oct 12, 2004)

:r

Well Joe, I guess those PM's are just a hazard of chaining up Taboada in your basement :r

Maybe you should let him out for a walk or something once in awhile.

XXX


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## Stogiefanatic182 (Oct 28, 2005)

It would be pretty cool to have custom rolled. Do they have any good NC custom rolled cigars on the market?


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## jgros001 (Jun 14, 2005)

Stogiefanatic182 said:


> It would be pretty cool to have custom rolled. Do they have any good NC custom rolled cigars on the market?


Many times they have a roller at cigar events at the local shops...are they good? not bad, but not in the same galaxy as what they are talking about here. Usually it is just a fresh version of one of companies cigars. Aurora did an event near me and the had a special wrapper they were rolling with - nothing special though.


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

Stogiefanatic182 said:


> It would be pretty cool to have custom rolled. Do they have any good NC custom rolled cigars on the market?


Custom rolled cigars from just about any roller aren't "on the market". Most of the time they come from special events. Or you have to visit a factory. As far as non cuban customs, there are many places in nyc that will do it for you. lots of chinchales here. Also some b&m's, like davidoff have a roller in the store once a year or so.


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## LasciviousXXX (Oct 12, 2004)

Pepin Garcia was just at the Scottsdale Cigar King last week doing some custom rolled stuff.


I highly recommend Pepin's Stronger blends for NC lovers.


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## jgros001 (Jun 14, 2005)

LasciviousXXX said:


> Pepin Garcia was just at the Scottsdale Cigar King last week doing some custom rolled stuff.
> 
> I highly recommend Pepin's Stronger blends for NC lovers.


Pepin makes good stuff - he needs to come to Baltimore.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

I would like to try some custom rolled of 50's and 60's blends. Out of current Habanos production, which have the most Ligero in them?


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

mosesbotbol said:


> I would like to try some custom rolled of 50's and 60's blends. Out of current Habanos production, which have the most Ligero in them?


I don't understand the question? 50's and 60's blends are impossible to duplicate. Taboada rolls a dom perignon which is suppossed to be a copy of the davi domp, but they taste nothing the same. Tobaccos have changed.

As for ligero, they are custom rolled, it's your choice how much goes in.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

carbonbased_al said:


> I don't understand the question? 50's and 60's blends are impossible to duplicate. Taboada rolls a dom perignon which is suppossed to be a copy of the davi domp, but they taste nothing the same. Tobaccos have changed.
> 
> As for ligero, they are custom rolled, it's your choice how much goes in.


My question is, what current Habanos cigars have the most ligero in them?


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

mosesbotbol said:


> My question is, what current Habanos cigars have the most ligero in them?


Regular or production or custom? IMHO RyJ Cazadore prob has the most ligero for a regular production habano. As far as customs go, hard to say. So many variations in blends. Taboada and Alfredo always roll a stout cigar, and a few Cueto's have made me sweat.


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## Gordon in NM (Mar 9, 2005)

RJT said:


> Anyone know were to get custom rolled smokes? PM me. RJT


The prefered method is to travel, and to place your order with the roller personally. Be very cautious of vendors in this arena. MOre will be revealed.

Gordo


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## Herfzilla (Aug 9, 2004)

mosesbotbol said:


> My question is, what current Habanos cigars have the most ligero in them?


The RyJ Cazadores. But if you told Taboado to make you a RyJCazadores blend with "mas ligero," your heart might explode from the nicotene.

I have had customs that were FABULOUS, and some that were pretty good, but not worth the extra coin. I have not found they aging a Taboado does much to it, I think they are better smoked soon after rolling.


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

Herfzilla said:


> I have had customs that were FABULOUS, and some that were pretty good, but not worth the extra coin. I have not found they aging a Taboado does much to it, I think they are better smoked soon after rolling.


I have had mixed luck with aging customs. I find ,personally, that Taboadas do get better with time. Had a three year old robusto that was to die for. But the Morales i've had smoked better fresh. Paredas the verdict is still out, mine are approaching a year. Same with Cueto and LaChina, I will let you all know in a few months 

Mir Ajo and Ramses smoke pretty awesome right off the table. None made it past the 3 month marker :r


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## opus (Jun 21, 2005)

carbonbased_al said:


> Where to buy custom rolleds and can I have some are easily the two most frequent pms I get! At least one a week :r


I resemble that remark, well at least the first half of it.:r


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## TimL (Mar 21, 2006)

Has anyone tried the new San Cristobal Muralla -Rodolfo yet?


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## The Master (Dec 26, 2004)

I had a bunch of custom rolled cigars for me when I was in Cuba and the most expensive were some custom rolled Cohiba A's that were 10 bucks a pop. I now by my custom rolled from a guy who has them made on a regular basis and they are priced at around 8 bucks a pop. The expensive custom rolled cigar by La China and the like that go for 30 bucks a pop in my opinion are a rip off. I have smoked a couple and to my tastes they are a nice cigar but not worth 30 bucks. If people enjoy them and don't mind paying 30 bucks a stick then more power to em.


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## Gordon in NM (Mar 9, 2005)

TimL said:


> Has anyone tried the new San Cristobal Muralla -Rodolfo yet?


This is of course NOT a custom rolled cigar, and is therefore off topic, But....

I must confess that I have. I say confess because normally I would not smoke any cigar this young, but..... ROTT from first Fifth Avenue batch which I believe to be gone now.

Big assed cigar, double banded, beautifully constructed, one of the prettiest cigars you'll ever encounter. Gorgeous presentation box in red stained spanish cedar, varnished (laquered) with pretty moulding details, and quadrant hinges. Built like a humidor. Flat out gorgeous.

Smoke is way too young but I would describe the predominant flavors as caramel like with some lighter fruity/floral overtones. Seems as though there is some good body to these, and that they will develope into something special in time...

Hope this helps,

Gordon

Heres a pic of the cabinet for their sister release, the Oficios:

http://www.clubstogie.com/photo/showphoto.php/photo/1703/cat/512
http://www.clubstogie.com/photo/showphoto.php/photo/1704/cat/512

Don't have Muralla photos taken


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## TimL (Mar 21, 2006)

Gordon in NM said:


> This is of course NOT a custom rolled cigar, and is therefore off topic, But....


While not a custom roll, I assume they are named after Rodolfo Taboada who rolls for San Cristobal and since Taboada also rolls customs I figure it was on topic. 

Anyhow, thanks for the review and the pictures. They do indeed look awesome. Click here for pics I took of Rodolfo in 2004 in TJ


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## MiamiE (Mar 5, 2005)

Awesome pics Tim, I'm going to have to get my hands on some of these soon!


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## Gordon in NM (Mar 9, 2005)

TimL said:


> While not a custom roll, I assume they are named after Rodolfo Taboada who rolls for San Cristobal and since Taboada also rolls customs I figure it was on topic.
> 
> Anyhow, thanks for the review and the pictures. They do indeed look awesome. Click here for pics I took of Rodolfo in 2004 in TJ


Lets see, here's the new Murallas:
http://www.clubstogie.com/photo/showphoto.php/photo/1714/cat/512

and dig the nice presentation on the Mercaderes:
http://www.clubstogie.com/photo/showphoto.php/photo/1715/cat/512

Nice stuff from the Folks at 5th Ave.

Gordon


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## cameroncouch02 (Sep 22, 2005)

Where do you go about buying these custom rolled stogies. This is a whole different slope I know absolutely nothing about.


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## TimL (Mar 21, 2006)

MiamiE said:


> Awesome pics Tim, I'm going to have to get my hands on some of these soon!


Thanks. Pricey but worth the price, imo. I missed him last time he was there but rumor is he's coming back to TJ soon. Time will tell.


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## TimL (Mar 21, 2006)

Gordon in NM said:


> Lets see, here's the new Murallas:
> http://www.clubstogie.com/photo/showphoto.php/photo/1714/cat/512
> 
> and dig the nice presentation on the Mercaderes:
> ...


Damn Gordon! Rub it in.


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## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

cameroncouch02 said:


> Where do you go about buying these custom rolled stogies. This is a whole different slope I know absolutely nothing about.


Either in cuba or at an event. And it's a slope best left untraveled unless you got alot of cash to burn, custom rolleds are major $$$$$. Taboada's, LaChina's, Hamlet's, etc all go for 30+ bucks a stick. Some even more. Cueto's run 50+.


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